Thermostatically-controlled heating element



April 7, m5,

LSBZA@ L.. H. miv-@NT THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED HEATING ELEMENT Filc Spt. l, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 www* ufff

IIIIIIII .Mmmm

l.. H. LAMONT THERMOSTATICALLY CONTDLLED HEATING ELEMENT Fld Sepi. 18 1922 3 Sheets--Shee'I 2 April 7, 1925. imm@ l... H. LAMQNT THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED HEATING ELEMENT Filed sepa. 1B, 1922 s sheets-sheet s Patented Apr. 7, 1925.

ED erre H. LAMONT, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

THERMOSTATICALLY-CONTROLLED HEATING ELEMENT.

Application filed September 18, 1922. Serial No. 588,759.

To all rwhom, t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Lewis H. LAMoN'r, a. citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of `Cook and State of Illinois, have invented of reference marked thereon, which form al part of this specification.

This invention relates to theri'n'ostatically controlled heating elements for heating the fuel supplied to hydrocarbon motors with particular reference to automotive vehicle power plants wherein an aid to easy starting of a cold motor is a 'desirable characteristic.

It is an important object of this-invention to provide improved means for heating the hydrocarbon fuel supplied to an engine to assist vaporization of at least the lighter elements thereof to render starting of an otherwise cold engine comparable in ease with starting a warm engine. Y

It is a further important object of this invention to provide improved thermostatic means for controlling 'the heating effect' of such a heating element.

It is still another important object of this invent-ion to provide improved thermostatic means for opening the circuit of an electrieal heating element when it reaches a predetermined temperature and thus to release a solenoidoperated switch to render the entire device inoperative.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for breaking the circuit through the heating element at a definite 'temperature if the solenoid switch should provide a device to assist in starting internal combustion engines that can be switched on and which will automatically cut ofi' the supply of current as soon asits work has been done, as evidenced by the heating element reaching a certain temperature.

.Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the drawings and specifications. The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of an automobile engine with one form of the device of this invention attached thereto.

Figure 2 is a sectional View of one forni of-this device.-

Figure 3 is a sectional view of one form of this device, at right angles to that view shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the solenoid switch used with the heating element of this invention.

Figure 5 is an end view of the switch of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an end view of the heating element of Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7 7 of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is an electrical wiring diagraml of the 'device of this invention as shown in the preceding figures.

Figure 9 is an elevation of a modified heating element.

Figure 10 is a section on the line 10-10 of Figure 9.

Figure 1l is an electrical wiring diagram of the modification ydisclosed in Figures 9 and 10.

As shown on the drawings:

A typical vautomotive power plant is shown in Figure 1 wherein the numeral l designates an engine provided with the usual appurtenances including an intake manifold 2, a carbureter 3, and a fuel supply pipe 4 leading thereto. A device 5 embodying the features of this invention is inserted between the earbureter and fuel supply pipe. An instrument board or dash 6a carries a switch mechanism 6 controlling the operation of the device 5.

The heating device comprises a tubular body portion 5 having a hollow offset boss 7 tapped for an outlet piping connection S intended to attach to the usual carburetor fuel supply connection. The fuel supplypipe 4 is connected at a tapped inlet 9 in' the other end of the body portion. Inserted in the tubular body portion 5 is an electrical 14 outside the com artment and having a screw 15 inserted t erein to form an adjustable contact point normally engaging 'with a strip` of thermostatic metal 16 secured to the body portion and hence grounded thereto.

The switch mechanism comprises a pull switch 17 normally held open by a spring 18 on the stem 19. A solenoid 20 acts to hold the switch closed when once ulled out. Terminals 21, 22, 23 are provi ed on the case for wiring as hereinafter described in connection with the wiring diagram.

The wiring diagram shown in Figure 8 embraces a single wire battery system althou h it is to be understood that this invention 1s adapted to be connected into any type of ignition and lighting electrical system in common use today. As shown one terminal of a battery 24 is grounded as at 25 and a lead 26 from the other terminal goes to terminal 21 on the switch 6 and thence to the pull out switch 17. From the switch 17 one lead 27 goes from the terminal 22 to the heating element terminal 1l, the other end of the heating element being grounded to the body portion 5. Another lead 28 from the switch 17 connects with the solenoid coil 20 and thence through the terminal 23 to the thermostat terminal 14 where it is normally grounded through the thermostatic strip 16 to the body portion.

The operation of the above described embodiment of this invention is comparatively simple. Pulling out the handle of the switch mechanism closes the switch 17, energizing both the heater coil 10 and the solenoid 20. 'llhe latter holds 'the switch stem outwardly as long as this circuit is maintained through the thermostatic strip. The solenoid resistance is of course sufficient to reduce the flow of current therethrough to an amount not great enough to cause a serious drain on the source of electrical energy. As the heating element warms up it approaches a temperature suihcient to cause the thermostatie metal strip to break the circuit through the solenoid which then releases the switch stem allowing the spring thereon to open the heating element circuit permanently, so that this device can be brought into service with the knowledge that after a short lapse of time the device 4will automatically cut itself oft' the line without further attention.

A slightly lmodified form of this device is shown in Figures 9 to 11 wherein a second thermostat terminal 29 on a separate insulated post 30 having a terminal 31 engages with an insulated contact 32 on the thermostatic metal strip, which contact is connected to the heating element terminal 11 by a connector 38.

rllhe wiring diagram for this modication is similar in princlple to that described here 32 is permanently wired to one terminal of y the heating element 10, the other terminal of this element. being grounded as before.

rlhe operation of this modification is similarto that previously described except that if the switch mechanism fails to release for any reason when the thermostatic contact 15 opens, a further rise in the temperature or the heating element causes the additional insulated contact 32 to open, thus cutting off the heating element until it has cooled sufficiently to allow the contact to close again. This arrangement is of course provided simply for safety if the regular mechanism fails to function for any reason.

l am aware that numerous details of construction ot' my invention may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of my invention, and l therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1l A. heating device for fuel supply iines comprising an electrical heatin element, a switch adapted to automaticaly maintain a closed electrical system until the heater element reaches a deiinite temperature and a thermostat adapted to permanently release said switch upon attaining said definite temperature.

2. A device of the class described comprising an immersion electric heating element, a casing therefor having inlet and outlet connections 'for fuel supply pipes, a thermostatic control regulator therefor. and a solenoid switch mechanism permanently released by breaking the circuit through said thermostatic control.

[t device of the class described comprising an immersion electric heating element, a casing therefor having inlet and outlet connections for furl supply pipes, a thermostat attached to said casing adapted to open an electrical circuit at a predetermined temperature7 and a spring-impelled switch mechanism released by said thermostat.

et. A device of the class described comprising an immerision electric heating element, a casing therefor having inlet and outlet connections for fuel supply pipes, a thermostat attached to said casing adapted to open an electric circuit at a predetermined heating element, a solenoid switch in the circuit adapted to be held in contact by the current energizing the heating element, and a thermostat adapted to break the circult and thereby'release the solenoid switch upon reaching a 'desired temperature.

6. In afuel preheating device, an electric heating element, a solenoid in circuit there with, a normally open switch.v operatively connected to said solenoid and adapted to be held closed thereby, and a thermostat in the circuit adapted to open the circuit .at a predetermined temperature to cause said solenoid to release said switch.

7 .v A heating device comprising an electric heating element, a. switch controlling the circuit, a solenoid in the circuit adapted toA hold the switch closed against spring pressure, a thermostat in the circuit adapted to open at a definite temperature to cause the solenoid to release the switch, and means for breaking the circuit at a higher temperature in case the switch fails toopen when released by the solenoid.

8. A heating device of the class described comprising an electric heating element, a solenoid switch in circuit therewith, a thermostat controlling the operation of the solenoid switch, and a secondary terminal on the thermostat adapted to open the circuit upon failure of the solenoid switch.

I-n testimony' whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEWIS H. DAMONT.

Witnesses CARLTON HILL, OSCAR HARTMANN.

Cil 

